2002 Houston Texans season

The 2002 season was the Houston Texans' debut season in the National Football League and the first NFL season for the city of Houston since the Oilers moved to Tennessee in 1997 & became the Titans 2 years later in 1999. Their coaching staff was headed by Dom Capers, who previously coached the expansion Carolina Panthers when they debuted in 1995. The divisional realignment also placed the Texans and Titans in the same division.

2002 Houston Texans season
Texans inaugural season logo
Owner	Bob McNair
General manager	Charley Casserly
Head coach	Dom Capers
Offensive coordinator	Chris Palmer
Defensive coordinator	Vic Fangio
Home stadium	Reliant Stadium
Results
Record	4–12
Division place	4th AFC South
Playoffs	Did not qualify
Pro Bowlers	2 DE Gary Walker CB Aaron Glenn
Texans seasons 2003 →

The Texans won their inaugural regular season game against the Dallas Cowboys 19–10 on Sunday Night Football. The Texans finished their debut season with a 4–12 record.

Due to being an expansion franchise, the Texans were given the first overall pick in the 2002 NFL draft. Houston used the selection on Fresno State quarterback David Carr. Carr finished the season with 2,592 passing yards, setting the franchise record for most passing yards by a rookie in a single season. Carr's record would not be broken until 2021, when Davis Mills finished that season with 2,664 passing yards (a number since surpassed by C. J. Stroud's 4,108 in 2023).^[1][2]

NFL returns to Houston

See also: History of the Houston Texans § 1997: Bringing the NFL back to Houston

In June 1997, Bob McNair and Chuck Watson's plans for a National Hockey League expansion team fell apart due to the lack of an arena in the Houston area. Afterward, the Houston Oilers moved to Nashville to become the Tennessee Titans. The discussion eventually began to create a new NFL expansion team, with the 31st being awarded to the reformed Cleveland Browns. Houston and Los Angeles were the two finalists, and on October 6, 1999, the league's owners voted unanimously to award Houston the 32nd franchise. In 2000, the new team, tentatively known as "Houston NFL 2002", decided on five potential team names: Apollos, Bobcats, Stallions, Texans and Wildcatters. This shortlist was eventually reduced to Apollos, Stallions and Texans. On September 6, the team name was officially revealed as the Houston Texans.^[3]

On January 19, 2000, the team hired former Washington Redskins general manager Charley Casserly to serve in the same position.^[3] In the search for a head coach, Miami coach Butch Davis was involved in discussions with McNair, but elected to stay with the university.^[4] In January 2001, the Texans hired Jacksonville Jaguars defensive coordinator Dom Capers as head coach; Capers had previously worked with the expansion Carolina Panthers as their HC.^[5] On January 20, Indianapolis Colts defensive coordinator Vic Fangio joined the staff in the same role,^[6] followed by former Cleveland Browns head coach Chris Palmer as offensive coordinator on February 3.^[7]

Offseason

Free agency

On November 5, 2001, the Texans held workouts for defensive backs at the Reliant Astrodome. On December 29, the team signed ten players: running back Michael Basnight, safety Leomont Evans, tackles Robert Hicks and Jerry Wisne, defensive tackle Jason Nikolao, quarterback Mike Quinn, fullback Matt Snider, cornerback Jason Suttle, linebacker Casey Tisdale and safety Kevin Williams. On March 6, 2002, Colts offensive lineman Steve McKinney became the first unrestricted free agent to be signed by the Texans.^[3][8]

Expansion draft

Main article: 2002 NFL expansion draft

To fill the Texans roster, the NFL held an expansion draft on February 18. The team was permitted to select 42 players from the other 31 teams, each of which allowed five players to be drafted. Houston were required to select 30 players or spend 38 percent ($27.24 million) of the $71.7 million salary cap.^[9]

The first player that the Texans selected was Jacksonville Jaguars offensive tackle Tony Boselli; however, the five-time Pro Bowler had been suffering from shoulder injuries during the 2001 season and never played a snap for the Texans.^[10] Houston also selected 18 more players.

On February 26, quarterback Danny Wuerffel was traded to the Washington Redskins for defensive tackle Jerry DeLoach. The Texans had intended to draft DeLoach, but the Redskins replaced him with Matt Campbell.^[11]

Round	Player	Position	Team
1	Tony Boselli^	Offensive tackle	Jacksonville Jaguars
2	Ryan Young^	Offensive tackle	New York Jets
3	Aaron Glenn^	Cornerback	New York Jets
4	Gary Walker^	Defensive tackle	Jacksonville Jaguars
5	Jamie Sharper^	Linebacker	Baltimore Ravens
6	Jermaine Lewis^	Wide receiver	Baltimore Ravens
7	Marcus Coleman^	Defensive back	New York Jets
8	Seth Payne^	Defensive tackle	Jacksonville Jaguars
9	Matt Campbell	Offensive guard	Washington Redskins
10	Matt Stevens^	Safety	New England Patriots
11	Jeremy McKinney^	Offensive guard	Cleveland Browns
12	Ryan Schau^	Offensive guard	Cleveland Browns
13	Charlie Rogers	Running back	Seattle Seahawks
14	Sean McDermott^	Tight end	Tampa Bay Buccaneers
15	Jabari Issa^	Defensive end	Arizona Cardinals
16	Avion Black^	Wide receiver	Buffalo Bills
17	Danny Wuerffel	Quarterback	Chicago Bears
18	Brian Allen	Linebacker	St. Louis Rams
19	Johnny Huggins	Tight end	Dallas Cowboys

^ Made roster.

NFL draft

Main article: 2002 NFL draft

2002 Houston Texans draft
Round	Pick	Player	Position	College	Notes
1	1	David Carr	QB	Fresno State
2	33	Jabar Gaffney	WR	Florida
2	50	Chester Pitts	OT	San Diego State	Extra selection
3	66	Fred Weary	OG	Tennessee
3	83	Charles Hill	DT	Maryland	Extra selection
4	99	Jonathan Wells	RB	Ohio State
5	136	Jarrod Baxter	FB	New Mexico
5	153	Ramon Walker	S	Pittsburgh	Extra selection
6	173	Demarcus Faggins	CB	Kansas State
6	190	Howard Green	DT	LSU	Extra selection
7	229	Greg White	DE	Minnesota	Extra selection
7	261	Ahmad Miller	DT	UNLV	Extra selection
Made roster

^[12]

Undrafted free agents

2002 undrafted free agents of note

Player	Position	College
Atnaf Harris	Wide receiver	Cal State Northridge
Joey Knapp	Tight end	UTEP
John Minardi	Wide receiver	Colorado
Jimmy McClain	Linebacker	Troy State
Eric Parker	Wide receiver	Tennessee
Ed Stansbury	Running back	UCLA

Staff

2002 Houston Texans staff

Front office Founder, chairman and chief executive officer – Bob McNair Senior vice president and general manager – Charley Casserly Associate director of pro scouting – Bobby Grier Associate director of pro scouting – Miller McCalmon Coordinator of college scouting – Mike Maccagnan Head coaches Head coach – Dom Capers Offensive coaches Offensive coordinator – Chris Palmer Running backs – Chick Harris Wide receivers – Kippy Brown Tight ends – Greg Roman Offensive line – Tony Marciano Assistant offensive line – Steve Marshall

Defensive coaches Defensive coordinator – Vic Fangio Defensive line – Todd Grantham Linebackers – Reggie Herring Defensive backs (secondary) – Jon Hoke Assistant defensive backs (secondary) – Brian Stewart Defensive quality control – Jedd Fisch Special teams coaches Special teams – Joe Marciano Special teams assistant – Eric Sutulovich Strength and conditioning Strength and conditioning – Dan Riley Assistant strength and conditioning – Ray Wright

Roster

2002 Houston Texans roster

Quarterbacks (QB) 12 Tony Banks  8 David Carr 11 Mike Quinn Running backs (RB) 20 James Allen 47 Jarrod Baxter FB 44 Moran Norris FB 32 Jonathan Wells Wide receivers (WR) 88 Avion Black 85 Corey Bradford 87 JaJuan Dawson 86 Jabar Gaffney 81 Atnaf Harris 84 Jermaine Lewis 83 Frank Murphy Tight ends (TE) 89 Jabari Holloway 82 Billy Miller

Offensive linemen (OL) 67 Milford Brown G 72 Barry Hall G/T 75 Jimmy Herndon T 76 Steve McKinney C 69 Chester Pitts T 78 Cameron Spikes G 60 Tarlos Thomas T 61 Fred Weary G 74 Ryan Young T Defensive linemen (DL) 95 Jerry DeLoach DE 93 Erik Flowers DE 97 Howard Green NT 94 Charles Hill NT 91 Seth Payne NT 92 Corey Sears DE 96 Gary Walker DE 90 Shawn Worthen NT

Linebackers (LB) 54 Troy Evans OLB 56 Jay Foreman ILB 51 Jimmy McClain ILB 59 Keith Mitchell OLB 98 Jeff Posey OLB 55 Jamie Sharper ILB 52 Kailee Wong OLB Defensive backs (DB) 33 Jason Bell CB 24 Eric Brown SS 42 Marcus Coleman CB 38 DeMarcus Faggins CB 31 Aaron Glenn CB 34 Kyries Hebert SS 30 Jason Simmons CB/S 26 Matt Stevens FS 23 Kevin Williams FS 43 Kenny Wright CB Special teams (ST)  3 Kris Brown K 80 Sean McDermott LS  7 Chad Stanley P

Practice squad -- McAllister Collins C -- Jelani Hawkins T -- Rashod Kent TE Reserve 71 Tony Boselli T (IR) 28 Pat Dennis CB (IR) 35 Leomont Evans S (IR) 70 DeMingo Graham G (Susp.) -- Trevor Insley WR (IR) 18 Dwaune Jones WR (IR) 58 Jason Lamar LB (IR) 62 Chris Lorenti C (IR) -- Mike Newell C (IR) 83 Rod Rutledge TE (IR) 65 Ryan Schau G (IR) 41 Ramon Walker S (IR) Rookies in italics 53 active, 12 reserve, 3 practice squad

Preseason

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Recap
HOF	August 5	vs. New York Giants	L 17–34	0–1	Fawcett Stadium (Canton)	Recap
1	August 10	at New Orleans Saints	W 13–10	1–1	Louisiana Superdome	Recap
2	August 17	at Kansas City Chiefs	L 9–19	1–2	Arrowhead Stadium	Recap
3	August 24	Miami Dolphins	L 3–24	1–3	Reliant Stadium	Recap
4	August 30	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	L 13–17	1–4	Reliant Stadium	Recap

Regular season

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Recap
1	September 8	Dallas Cowboys	W 19–10	1–0	Reliant Stadium	Recap
2	September 15	at San Diego Chargers	L 3–24	1–1	Qualcomm Stadium	Recap
3	September 22	Indianapolis Colts	L 3–23	1–2	Reliant Stadium	Recap
4	September 29	at Philadelphia Eagles	L 17–35	1–3	Veterans Stadium	Recap
5	Bye
6	October 13	Buffalo Bills	L 24–31	1–4	Reliant Stadium	Recap
7	October 20	at Cleveland Browns	L 17–34	1–5	Cleveland Browns Stadium	Recap
8	October 27	at Jacksonville Jaguars	W 21–19	2–5	Alltel Stadium	Recap
9	November 3	Cincinnati Bengals	L 3–38	2–6	Reliant Stadium	Recap
10	November 10	at Tennessee Titans	L 10–17	2–7	The Coliseum	Recap
11	November 17	Jacksonville Jaguars	L 21–24	2–8	Reliant Stadium	Recap
12	November 24	New York Giants	W 16–14	3–8	Reliant Stadium	Recap
13	December 1	at Indianapolis Colts	L 3–19	3–9	RCA Dome	Recap
14	December 8	at Pittsburgh Steelers	W 24–6	4–9	Heinz Field	Recap
15	December 15	Baltimore Ravens	L 19–23	4–10	Reliant Stadium	Recap
16	December 22	at Washington Redskins	L 10–26	4–11	FedExField	Recap
17	December 29	Tennessee Titans	L 3–13	4–12	Reliant Stadium	Recap

Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Game summaries

Week 1: vs. Dallas Cowboys

Week 1: Dallas Cowboys at Houston Texans – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Cowboys	0	3	7	0	10
Texans	7	3	0	9	19

at Reliant Stadium, Houston, Texas

• Date: September 8, 2002
• Game time: 7:30 p.m. CST
• Game weather: Played indoors (retractable roof closed)
• Game attendance: 69,604
• Referee: Bill Carollo
• TV announcers (ESPN): Mike Patrick, Joe Theismann, Paul Maguire and Suzy Kolber
• Recap

Game information

First quarter HOU – Billy Miller 19-yard pass from David Carr (Kris Brown kick), 14:43. Texans 7–0. Drive: 3 plays, 64 yards, 0:13. Second quarter HOU – Kris Brown 42-yard field goal, 13:22. Texans 10–0. Drive: 4 plays, 2 yards. DAL – Billy Cundiff 33-yard field goal, 1:05. Texans 10–3. Drive: 6 plays, 48 yards, 0:32. Third quarter DAL – Michael Wiley 46-yard run (Billy Cundiff kick), 7:13. Tied 10–10. Drive: 4 plays, 84 yards. Fourth quarter HOU – Corey Bradford 65-yard pass from David Carr (Kris Brown kick), 13:15. Texans 17–10. Drive: 3 plays, 74 yards, 0:25. HOU – Quincy Carter sacked in the end zone for a safety, 2:47. Texans 19–10. Top passers DAL – Quincy Carter – 13/30, 130 yards, INT HOU – David Carr – 10/22, 145 yards, 2 TD, INT Top rushers DAL – Emmitt Smith – 17 rushes, 67 yards HOU – James Allen – 19 rushes, 56 yards Top receivers DAL – Joey Galloway – 6 receptions, 69 yards HOU – Corey Bradford – 4 receptions, 99 yards, TD

Week 2: at San Diego Chargers

Week 2: Houston Texans at San Diego Chargers – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Texans	0	3	0	0	3
Chargers	14	3	0	7	24

at Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, California

• Date: September 15, 2002
• Game time: 3:15 p.m. CST
• Game weather: 74° (Sunny)
• Game attendance: 56,098
• Referee: Mike Carey
• TV announcers (CBS): Craig Bolerjack, Craig James and Scott Kaplan
• Recap

Game information

First quarter SD – Curtis Conway 35-yard pass from Drew Brees (Steve Christie kick), 11:55. Chargers 7–0. Drive: 10 plays, 78 yards, 3:37. SD – Curtis Conway 3-yard run (Steve Christie kick), 2:52. Chargers 14–0. Drive: 3 plays, 6 yards, 0:33. Second quarter HOU – Kris Brown 45-yard field goal, 9:31. Chargers 14–3. Drive: 4 plays, 8 yards, 1:45. SD – Steve Christie 36-yard field goal, 0:07. Chargers 17–3. Drive: 6 plays, 37 yards, 0:28. Third quarter No scoring plays. Fourth quarter SD – Raylee Johnson fumble recovery in the end zone (Steve Christie kick), 11:49. Chargers 24–3. Top passers HOU – David Carr – 6/25, 87 yards, 2 INT SD – Drew Brees – 15/28, 163 yards, TD, INT Top rushers HOU – James Allen – 13 rushes, 51 yards SD – LaDainian Tomlinson – 27 rushes, 84 yards Top receivers HOU – Jabar Gaffney – 2 receptions, 37 yards SD – Curtis Conway – 5 receptions, 113 yards, TD

Week 3: vs. Indianapolis Colts

Week 3: Indianapolis Colts at Houston Texans – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Colts	7	6	0	10	23
Texans	0	0	3	0	3

at Reliant Stadium, Houston, Texas

• Date: September 22, 2002
• Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
• Game weather: Roof open 81° Sunny
• Game attendance: 69,204
• Referee: Tony Corrente
• TV announcers (CBS): Gus Johnson and Brent Jones
• Recap

Game information

First quarter IND – Qadry Ismail 42-yard pass from Peyton Manning (Mike Vanderjagt kick), 2:40. Colts 7–0. Drive: 7 plays, 80 yards, 3:25. Second quarter IND – Mike Vanderjagt 26-yard field goal, 12:59. Colts 10–0. Drive: 6 plays, 33 yards, 10:59. IND – Mike Vanderjagt 39-yard field goal, 1:38. Colts 13–0. Drive: 8 plays, 46 yards, 2:34. Third quarter HOU – Kris Brown 24-yard field goal, 4:55. Colts 13–3. Drive: 12 plays, 55 yards, 5:22. Fourth quarter IND – Reggie Wayne 43-yard pass from Peyton Manning (Mike Vanderjagt kick), 4:06. Colts 20–3. Drive: 8 plays, 69 yards, 3:30. IND – Mike Vanderjagt 37-yard field goal, 1:15. Colts 23–3. Drive: 4 plays, 3 yards, 2:03. Top passers IND – Peyton Manning – 21/28, 272 yards, 2 TD HOU – David Carr – 12/22, 99 yards, INT Top rushers IND – Edgerrin James – 25 rushes, 88 yards HOU – Jonathan Wells – 14 rushes, 93 yards Top receivers IND – Marvin Harrison – 8 receptions, 110 yards HOU – JaJuan Dawson – 3 receptions, 32 yards

Week 4: at Philadelphia Eagles

Week 4: Houston Texans at Philadelphia Eagles – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Texans	7	0	10	0	17
Eagles	3	17	8	7	35

at Veterans Stadium, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

• Date: September 29, 2002
• Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
• Game weather: 72° (Sunny, partly cloudy)
• Game attendance: 64,867
• Referee: Johnny Grier
• TV announcers (CBS): Don Criqui and Steve Tasker
• Recap

Game information

First quarter HOU – Corey Bradford 23-yard pass from David Carr (Kris Brown kick), 10:18. Texans 7–0. Drive: 6 plays, 69 yards, 2:10. PHI – David Akers 25-yard field goal, 3:56. Texans 7–3. Drive: 13 plays, 72 yards, 5:23. Second quarter PHI – Duce Staley 1-yard run (David Akers kick), 13:31. Eagles 10–7. Drive: 10 plays, 42 yards, 4:19. PHI – Duce Staley 1-yard run (David Akers kick), 5:18. Eagles 17–7. Drive: 8 plays, 64 yards, 4:08. PHI – David Akers 41-yard field goal, 2:46. Eagles 20–7. Drive: 4 plays, 7 yards, 0:15. Third quarter PHI – Brian Dawkins 57-yard pass from Brian Mitchell (McNabb pass to Lewis), 11:43. Eagles 28–7. Drive: 8 plays, 88 yards, 3:52. HOU – Corey Bradford 29-yard pass from David Carr (Kris Brown kick), 9:16. Eagles 28–14. Drive: 5 plays, 60 yards, 2:12. HOU – Kris Brown 48-yard field goal, 2:37. Eagles 28–17. Drive: 7 plays, 24 yards, 2:33. Fourth quarter PHI – James Thrash 38-yard pass from Donovan McNabb (David Akers kick), 5:15. Eagles 35–17. Drive: 4 plays, 57 yards, 0:53. Top passers HOU – David Carr – 16/29, 188 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT PHI – Donovan McNabb – 24/42, 259 yards, TD, INT Top rushers HOU – James Allen – 14 rushes, 41 yards PHI – Duce Staley – 12 rushes, 33 yards, 2 TD Top receivers HOU – Corey Bradford – 7 receptions, 97 yards, 2 TD PHI – Todd Pinkston – 6 receptions, 70 yards

Week 6: vs. Buffalo Bills

Week 6: Buffalo Bills at Houston Texans

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Bills	3	7	7	14	31
Texans	3	14	0	7	24

at Reliant Stadium, Houston, Texas

• Date: October 13, 2002
• Game time: 12:00 pm CST
• Game weather: None (indoor stadium)
• Game attendance: 70,120
• Referee: Ed Hochuli
• TV announcers (CBS): Don Criqui and Steve Tasker
• Recap

Game information

First quarter HOU – Kris Brown 26-yard field goal, 10:26. Texans 3–0. Drive: 5 plays, 82 yards, 2:19. BUF – Mike Hollis 33-yard field goal, 5:00. Tied 3–3. Drive: 13 plays, 66 yards, 5:26. Second quarter HOU – Jabar Gaffney 26-yard pass from David Carr (Kris Brown kick), 10:31. Texans 10–3. Drive: 9 plays, 70 yards, 4:34. HOU – David Carr 17-yard run (Kris Brown kick), 5:04. Texans 17–3. Drive: 7 plays, 63 yards, 4:04. BUF – Travis Henry 1-yard run (Mike Hollis kick), 0:54. Texans 17–10. Drive: 10 plays, 85 yards, 4:10. Third quarter BUF – Travis Henry 23-yard run (Mike Hollis kick), 6:32. Tied 17–17. Drive: 11 plays, 95 yards, 5:10. Fourth quarter HOU – Billy Miller 5-yard pass from James Allen (Kris Brown kick), 14:10. Texans 24–17. Drive: 2 plays, 8 yards, 0:24. BUF – Eric Moulds 23-yard pass from Drew Bledsoe (Mike Hollis kick), 10:39. Tied 24–24. Drive: 7 plays, 55 yards, 3:31. BUF – Peerless Price 26-yard pass from Drew Bledsoe (Mike Hollis kick), 3:55. Bills 31–24. Drive: 9 plays, 63 yards, 4:30. Top passers BUF – Drew Bledsoe – 19/33, 254 yards, 2 TD HOU – David Carr – 12/23, 218 yards, TD Top rushers BUF – Travis Henry – 28 rushes, 159 yards, 2 TD HOU – Jonathan Wells – 12 rushes, 70 yards Top receivers BUF – Peerless Price – 8 receptions, 121 yards, TD HOU – Corey Bradford – 5 receptions, 126 yards

Week 7: at Cleveland Browns

Week 7: Houston Texans at Cleveland Browns – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Texans	0	7	10	0	17
Browns	0	7	17	10	34

at Cleveland Browns Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio

• Date: October 20, 2002
• Game time: 3:05 p.m. CST
• Game weather: 52°
• Game attendance: 73,248
• Referee: Gerald Austin
• TV announcers (CBS): Gus Johnson and Brent Jones
• Recap

Game information

First quarter No scoring plays. Second quarter CLE – William Green 1-yard run (Phil Dawson kick), 14:23. Browns 7–0. Drive: 5 plays, 13 yards, 3:28. HOU – Corey Bradford 37-yard pass from David Carr (Kris Brown kick), 12:41. Tied 7–7. Drive: 4 plays, 62 yards, 0:37. Third quarter CLE – Phil Dawson 36-yard field goal, 10:30. Browns 10–7. Drive: 7 plays, 45 yards, 2:20. HOU – Corey Bradford 39-yard pass from Jabar Gaffney (Kris Brown kick), 9:03. Texans 14–10. Drive: 5 plays, 70 yards, 0:37. CLE – André Davis 95-yard kick return (Phil Dawson kick), 8:31. Browns 17–14. HOU – Kris Brown 47-yard field goal, 5:48. Tied 17–17. Drive: 8 plays, 35 yards, 1:59. CLE – Quincy Morgan 25-yard pass from Tim Couch (Phil Dawson kick), 3:22. Browns 24–17. Drive: 6 plays, 60 yards, 2:14. Fourth quarter CLE – Phil Dawson 44-yard field goal, 5:46. Browns 27–17. Drive: 9 plays, 31 yards, 3:57. CLE – Jamel White 2-yard run (Phil Dawson kick), 2:00. Browns 34–17. Drive: 2 plays, 4 yards, 0:35. Top passers HOU – David Carr – 22/36, 267 yards, TD CLE – Tim Couch – 21/31, 148 yards, TD Top rushers HOU – James Allen – 5 rushes, 61 yards CLE – Jamel White – 12 rushes, 65 yards, TD Top receivers HOU – Billy Miller – 6 receptions, 78 yards CLE – Quincy Morgan – 7 receptions, 81 yards, TD

Week 8: at Jacksonville Jaguars

Week 8: Houston Texans at Jacksonville Jaguars – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Texans	0	7	3	11	21
Jaguars	0	9	3	7	19

at Alltel Stadium, Jacksonville, Florida

• Date: October 27, 2002
• Game time: 3:15 p.m. CST
• Game attendance: 53,721
• Referee: Ron Blum
• TV announcers (CBS): Ian Eagle and Solomon Wilcots
• Recap

Game information

First quarter No scoring plays Second quarter JAX – Jimmy Smith 25-yard pass from Mark Brunell (Tim Seder kick), 12:11. Jaguars 7–0. Drive: 7 plays, 74 yards, 2:39. HOU – Jonathan Wells 3-yard run (Kris Brown kick), 8:31. Tied 7–7. Drive: 4 plays, 44 yards, 2:08. JAX – Chad Stanley tackled in end zone, 5:15. Jaguars 9–7. Third quarter HOU – Kris Brown 43-yard field goal, 11:55. Texans 10–9. Drive: 6 plays, 46 yards, 3:39. JAX – Tim Seder 34-yard field goal, 6:31. Jaguars 12–10. Drive: 4 plays, 7 yards, 0:43. Fourth quarter HOU – Billy Miller 1-yard pass from David Carr (Carr pass to Gaffney), 18–12. Drive: 10 plays, 80 yards, 4:12. JAX – Stacey Mack 2-yard run (Tim Seder kick), 7:58. Jaguars 19–18. Drive: 7 plays, 70 yards, 3:22. HOU – Kris Brown 45-yard field goal, 2:24. Texans 21–19. Drive: 4 plays, 50 yards, 0:28. Top passers HOU – David Carr – 11/18, 184 yards, TD JAX – Mark Brunell – 16/34, 202 yards, TD Top rushers HOU – James Allen – 10 rushes, 40 yards JAX – Fred Taylor – 25 rushes, 85 yards Top receivers HOU – Billy Miller – 3 receptions, 78 yards, TD JAX – Jimmy Smith – 4 receptions, 80 yards, TD

Week 9: vs. Cincinnati Bengals

Week 9: Cincinnati Bengals at Houston Texans – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Bengals	10	14	0	14	38
Texans	3	0	0	0	3

at Reliant Stadium, Houston, Texas

• Date: November 3, 2002
• Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
• Game attendance: 69,827
• Referee: Larry Nemmers
• TV announcers (CBS): Don Criqui and Steve Tasker
• Recap

Game information

First quarter HOU − Kris Brown 23-yard field goal, 10:58. Texans 3–0. Drive: 8 plays, 66 yards, 3:55. CIN – Neil Rackers 25-yard field goal, 5:51. Tied 3–3. Drive: 11 plays, 68 yards, 4:16. CIN – Artrell Hawkins 102-yard interception return (Neil Rackers kick), 0:00. Bengals 10–3. Second quarter CIN – Michael Westbrook 26-yard pass from Jon Kitna (Neil Rackers kick), 6:00. Bengals 17–3. Drive: 10 plays, 78 yards, 5:29. CIN – Peter Warrick 33-yard pass from Jon Kitna (Neil Rackers kick), 0:42. Bengals 24–3. Drive: 7 plays, 72 yards, 0:07. Third quarter No scoring plays Fourth quarter CIN – Michael Westbrook 12-yard pass from Jon Kitna (Neil Rackers kick), 11:28. Bengals 31–3. Drive: 13 plays, 98 yards, 16:59. CIN – Chad Johnson 10-yard pass from Jon Kitna (Neil Rackers kick), 6:01. Bengals 38–3. Drive: 7 plays, 59 yards, 3:38. Top passers CIN – Jon Kitna – 22/27, 263 yards, 4 TD HOU – David Carr – 18/32, 199 yards, 2 INT Top rushers CIN – Corey Dillon – 22 rushes, 92 yards HOU – Jonathan Wells – 12 rushes, 44 yards Top receivers CIN – Peter Warrick – 7 receptions, 86 yards, TD HOU – Corey Bradford – 5 receptions, 53 yards

Week 10: at Tennessee Titans

Week 10: Houston Texans at Tennessee Titans – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Texans	0	3	0	7	10
Titans	7	3	7	0	17

at LP Field, Nashville, Tennessee

• Date: November 10, 2002
• Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
• Game attendance: 68,804
• Referee: Bill Leavy
• TV announcers (CBS): Don Criqui and Steve Tasker
• Recap

Game information

First quarter TEN – Derrick Mason 13-yard pass from Steve McNair (Joe Nedney kick), 3:47. Titans 7–0. Drive: 14 plays, 94 yards, 5:41. Second quarter TEN – Joe Nedney 24-yard field goal, 7:54. Titans 10–0. Drive: 4 plays, 6 yards, 0:36. HOU – Kris Brown 51-yard field goal, 1:11. Titans 10–3. Drive: 12 plays, 41 yards, 5:06. Third quarter TEN – Shad Meier 17-yard pass from Steve McNair (Joe Nedney kick), 10:52. Titans 17–3. Drive: 7 plays, 66 yards, 4:06. Fourth quarter HOU – Jarrod Baxter 10-yard pass from David Carr (Kris Brown kick), 3:10. Titans 17–10. Drive: 10 plays, 73 yards, 1:41. Top passers HOU – David Carr – 19/34, 182 yards, TD, 2 INT TEN – Steve McNair – 10/21, 109 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT Top rushers HOU – Jonathan Wells – 18 rushes, 41 yards TEN – Eddie George – 25 rushes, 86 yards Top receivers HOU – JaJuan Dawson – 4 receptions, 75 yards TEN – Derrick Mason – 4 receptions, 47 yards, TD

Week 11: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars

Week 11: Jacksonville Jaguars at Houston Texans – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Jaguars	7	10	7	0	24
Texans	0	7	7	7	21

at Reliant Stadium, Houston, Texas

• Date: November 17, 2002
• Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
• Game attendance: 69,711
• Referee: Dick Hantak
• TV announcers (CBS): Don Criqui and Steve Tasker
• Recap

Game information

First quarter JAX – Stacey Mack 1-yard run (Tim Seder kick), 1:19. Jaguars 7–0. Drive: 4 plays, 2 yards, 0:45. Second quarter JAX – Kyle Brady 2-yard pass from Mark Brunell (Tim Seder kick), 10:20. Jaguars 14–0. Drive: 6 plays, 96 yards, 1:44. HOU – Corey Bradford 52-yard pass from David Carr (Kris Brown kick), 3:56. Jaguars 14–7. Drive: 5 plays, 72 yards, 2:37. JAX – Tim Seder 22-yard field goal, 0:00. Jaguars 17–7. Drive: 6 plays, 26 yards, 1:55. Third quarter JAX – Jimmy Smith 13-yard pass from Mark Brunell (Tim Seder kick), 12:50. Jaguars 24–7. Drive: 2 plays, 27 yards, 0:15. HOU – David Carr 2-yard run (Kris Brown kick), 1:25. Jaguars 24–14. Drive: 9 plays, 83 yards, 4:12. Fourth quarter HOU – David Carr 14-yard run (Kris Brown kick), 2:04. Jaguars 24–21. Drive: 13 plays, 79 yards, 5:14. Top passers JAX – Mark Brunell – 15/25, 224 yards, 2 TD, INT HOU – David Carr – 22/30, 228 yards, TD, INT Top rushers JAX – Fred Taylor – 13 rushes, 56 yards HOU – David Carr – 7 rushes, 33 yards, 2 TD Top receivers JAX – Jimmy Smith – 6 receptions, 70 yards, TD HOU – Corey Bradford – 5 receptions, 73 yards, TD

Week 12: vs. New York Giants

Week 12: New York Giants at Houston Texans – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Giants	0	7	0	7	14
Texans	0	5	8	3	16

at Reliant Stadium, Houston, Texas

• Date: November 24, 2002
• Game time: 3:15 p.m. CST
• Game attendance: 70,054
• Referee: Terry McAulay
• TV announcers (Fox): Sam Rosen, Bill Maas and Matt Sampsell
• Recap

Game information

First quarter No scoring plays Second quarter HOU – Kris Brown 40-yard field goal, 12:38. Texans 3–0. Drive: 9 plays, 53 yards, 15:40. NYG – Tiki Barber 2-yard run (Matt Bryant kick), 3:45. Giants 7–3. Drive: 5 plays, 86 yards, 2:22. HOU – Matt Allen tackled in end zone, 0:26. Giants 7–5. Third quarter HOU – Jonathan Wells 1-yard run (David Carr pass to James Allen), 6:57. Texans 13–7. Drive: 7 plays, 34 yards, 3:36. Fourth quarter NYG – Amani Toomer 31-yard pass from Kerry Collins (Matt Bryant kick), 13:18. Giants 14–13. Drive: 6 plays, 61 yards, 12:02. HOU – Kris Brown 50-yard field goal, 6:57. Texans 16–14. Drive: 11 plays, 41 yards, 5:57. Top passers NYG – Kerry Collins – 18/41, 214 yards, TD, 2 INT HOU – David Carr – 10/23, 103 yards Top rushers NYG – Tiki Barber – 20 rushes, 147 yards, TD HOU – Jonathan Wells – 24 rushes, 68 yards, TD Top receivers NYG – Amani Toomer – 8 receptions, 113 yards, TD HOU – Billy Miller – 4 receptions, 70 yards

The Giants entered the game at 6–4 looking for an easy victory over the expansion Texans. The first quarter was scoreless with miscues from both teams. Houston received the opening kickoff, but went three-and-out, punting the ball to end the drive. On the second play of the following drive, New York running back Tiki Barber fumbled the ball at the Giants 27-yard line with the ball being recovered by Houston linebacker Jamie Sharper. On the next drive, Texans' running back James Allen fumbled the ball and it was recovered at the New York 30-yard line by linebacker Dhani Jones for the Giants. The two teams would trade punts with the first points being scored by Houston kicker Kris Brown on a 40-yard field goal in the second quarter. The Giants would respond a few drives later with Barber scoring on a 1-yard touchdown run. The game's next scoring play would come late in the second quarter. New York long snapper Bob Jones fumbled the snap with the ball being recovered by punter Matt Allen, who was tackled in his own end zone for a safety with the Texans trailing 7–5 at halftime.

Houston's first touchdown of the game came in the 3rd quarter, with a 1-yard run from Jonathan Wells. The Texans went for two, with Allen catching a pass from David Carr to put Houston up 13–7 with 6:57 left in the 3rd quarter. The Giants' following drive ended with Matt Bryant missing a 33-yard field goal. New York would score on its next possession with a 31-yard pass from Kerry Collins to receiver Amani Toomer to the Giants up 14–13 with 13:18 left in the game. Houston responded on the next drive with a 50-yard field goal to take a 16–14 lead with 6:57 left. The Giants had three drives to respond, but Collins was picked off twice on back-to-back possessions with the last play of the game being a failed Hail Mary to give the Texans a 16–14 upset victory.

To this day, this remains the last time the Texans defeated the Giants.

Week 13: at Indianapolis Colts

Week 13: Houston Texans at Indianapolis Colts – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Texans	0	0	0	3	3
Colts	10	3	0	6	19

at RCA Dome, Indianapolis, Indiana

• Date: December 1, 2002
• Game time: 3:05 p.m. CST
• Game attendance: 56,820
• Referee: Johnny Grier
• TV announcers (CBS): Ian Eagle and Solomon Wilcots
• Recap

Game information

First quarter IND – Mike Vanderjagt 31-yard field goal, 10:00. Colts 3–0. Drive: 4 plays, 3 yards, 1:56. IND – Marcus Pollard 16-yard pass from Peyton Manning (Mike Vanderjagt kick), 8:55. Colts 10–0. Drive: 1 play, 16 yards, 0:08. Second quarter IND – Mike Vanderjagt 46-yard field goal, 12:30. Colts 13–0. Drive: 5 plays, 29 yards, 0:50. Third quarter No scoring plays Fourth quarter IND – James Mungro 1-yard run (kick failed), 8:38. Colts 19–0. Drive: 9 plays, 55 yards, 3:51. HOU – Kris Brown 34-yard field goal, 3:55. Colts 19–3. Drive: 6 plays, 4 yards, 0:53. Top passers HOU – David Carr – 20/35, 137 yards IND – Peyton Manning – 15/28, 190 yards, TD Top rushers HOU – James Allen – 16 rushes, 64 yards IND – Edgerrin James – 20 rushes, 65 yards Top receivers HOU – James Allen – 10 receptions, 49 yards IND – Marvin Harrison – 9 receptions, 101 yards

Week 14: at Pittsburgh Steelers

Week 14: Houston Texans at Pittsburgh Steelers – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Texans	14	0	0	10	24
Steelers	0	3	3	0	6

at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• Date: December 8, 2002
• Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
• Game attendance: 58,551
• Referee: Bob McElwee
• TV announcers (CBS): Ian Eagle and Solomon Wilcots
• Recap

Game information

First quarter HOU – Kenny Wright 40-yard fumble return (Kris Brown kick), 6:15. Texans 7–0. HOU – Aaron Glenn 70-yard interception return (Kris Brown kick), 2:30. Texans 14–0. Second quarter PIT – Jeff Reed 40-yard field goal, 0:25. Texans 14–3. Drive: 10 plays, 57 yards, 2:28. Third quarter PIT – Jeff Reed 31-yard field goal, 9:45. Texans 14–6. Drive: 10 plays, 51 yards, 5:08. Fourth quarter HOU – Kris Brown 43-yard field goal, 3:40. Texans 17–6. Drive: 4 plays, −5 yards, 0:17. HOU – Aaron Glenn 65-yard interception return, 2:21. Texans 24–6. Top passers HOU – David Carr – 3/10, 33 yards PIT – Tommy Maddox – 30/57, 325 yards, 2 INT Top rushers HOU – James Allen – 13 rushes, 19 yards PIT – Amos Zereoue – 11 rushes, 69 yards Top receivers HOU – Billy Miller – 3 receptions, 33 yards PIT – Antwaan Randle El – 8 receptions, 88 yards

The Texans had one of the worst offensive performances ever in an NFL game, only having 47 total yards of offense while the Steelers had 422 yards. The Texans' defense forced five turnovers and scored three touchdowns. Pittsburgh quarterback Tommy Maddox threw two interceptions, both of which were returned for touchdowns by Houston cornerback Aaron Glenn; Maddox also lost a fumble that was recovered by Texans cornerback Kenny Wright for a touchdown.^[13]

Week 15: vs. Baltimore Ravens

Week 15: Baltimore Ravens at Houston Texans – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Ravens	3	10	7	3	23
Texans	0	7	7	5	19

at Reliant Stadium, Houston, Texas

• Date: December 15, 2002
• Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
• Game attendance: 70,108
• Referee: Bernie Kukar
• TV announcers (CBS): Bill Macatee and Craig James
• Recap

Game information

First quarter BAL – Matt Stover 22-yard field goal, 7:30. Ravens 3–0. Drive: 4 plays, 8 yards, 0:50. Second quarter HOU – Jonathan Wells 1-yard run (Kris Brown kick), 13:45. Texans 7–3. Drive: 14 plays, 91 yards, 18:27. BAL – Matt Stover 22-yard field goal, 12:00. Texans 7–6. Drive: 9 plays, 42 yards, 0:43. BAL – Travis Taylor 26-yard pass from Jeff Blake (Matt Stover kick), 2:00. Ravens 13–7. Drive: 7 plays, 97 yards, 5:00. Third quarter BAL – Chester Taylor 11-yard pass from Jeff Blake (Matt Stover kick), 7:30. Ravens 20–7. Drive: 11 plays, 84 yards, 4:00. HOU – Avion Black 76-yard punt return (Kris Brown kick), 0:59. Ravens 20–14. Fourth quarter BAL – Matt Stover 47-yard field goal, 9:00. Ravens 23–14. Drive: 11 plays, 57 yards, 4:00. HOU – Kris Brown 41-yard field goal, 3:40. Ravens 23–17. Drive: 11 plays, 57 yards, 2:21. HOU – Team safety, 2:28. Ravens 23–19. Top passers BAL – Jeff Blake – 18/30, 228 yards, 2 TD HOU – David Carr – 19/34, 196 yards, 2 INT Top rushers BAL – Jamal Lewis – 20 rushes, 49 yards HOU – Jonathan Wells – 14 rushes, 48 yards, TD Top receivers BAL – Travis Taylor – 5 receptions, 96 yards, TD HOU – Billy Miller – 8 receptions, 77 yards

Week 16: at Washington Redskins

Week 16: Houston Texans at Washington Redskins – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Texans	3	0	0	7	10
Redskins	7	9	0	10	26

at FedExField, Landover, Maryland

• Date: December 22, 2002
• Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
• Game attendance: 70,291
• Referee: Jeff Triplette
• TV announcers (CBS): Don Criqui and Steve Tasker
• Recap

Game information

First quarter HOU – Kris Brown 47-yard field goal, 7:42. Texans 3–0. Drive: 6 plays, 10 yards, 2:06. WSH – Rock Cartwright 12-yard pass from Patrick Ramsey (José Cortez kick), 3:33. Redskins 7–3. Drive: 7 plays, 73 yards, 2:29. Second quarter WSH – Houston penalty in end zone, 14:05. Redskins 9–3. WSH – Derrius Thompson 13-yard pass from Patrick Ramsey (José Cortez kick), 1:15. Redskins 16–3. Drive: 7 plays, 80 yards, 1:57. Third quarter No scoring plays Fourth quarter WSH – Ladell Betts 3-yard run (José Cortez kick), 14:30. Redskins 23–3. Drive: 9 plays, 54 yards, 12:19. HOU – Kevin Williams blocked punt recovery, 9:46. Redskins 23–10. WSH – José Cortez 23-yard field goal, 2:54. Redskins 26–10. Drive: 11 plays, 69 yards, 5:53. Top passers HOU – David Carr – 12/31, 112 yards, INT WSH – Patrick Ramsey – 14/31, 190 yards, 2 TD Top rushers HOU – Jonathan Wells – 15 rushes, 33 yards WSH – Ladell Betts – 20 rushes, 116 yards, TD Top receivers HOU – Corey Bradford – 5 receptions, 43 yards WSH – Derrius Thompson – 5 receptions, 73 yards, TD

Week 17: vs. Tennessee Titans

Week 17: Tennessee Titans at Houston Texans – Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Titans	3	3	0	7	13
Texans	0	0	3	0	3

at Reliant Stadium, Houston, Texas

• Date: December 29, 2002
• Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
• Game attendance: 70,694
• Referee: Walt Coleman
• TV announcers (CBS): Ian Eagle and Solomon Wilcots
• Recap

Game information

First quarter TEN – Joe Nedney 28-yard field goal, 4:01. Titans 3–0. Drive: 7 plays, 59 yards, 3:34. Second quarter TEN – Joe Nedney 26-yard field goal, 2:56. Titans 6–0. Drive: 5 plays, 14 yards, 1:48. Third quarter HOU – Kris Brown 42-yard field goal, 1:19. Titans 6–3. Drive: 3 plays, 60 yards, 0:13. Fourth quarter TEN – Eddie George 5-yard run (Joe Nedney kick), 5:24. Titans 13–3. Drive: 8 plays, 57 yards, 4:09. Top passers TEN – Steve McNair – 8/22, 148 yards HOU – David Carr – 21/40, 214 yards, INT Top rushers TEN – Eddie George – 25 rushes, 102 yards, TD HOU – Jonathan Allen – 6 rushes, 20 yards Top receivers TEN – Drew Bennett – 2 receptions, 58 yards HOU – Jabar Gaffney – 6 receptions, 73 yards

This was the Titans' first game to be played in Houston since December 15, 1996 when the team was known as the Houston Oilers.^[14]

Standings

Division

AFC South
view talk edit	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	CONF	PF	PA	STK
(2) Tennessee Titans	11	5	0	.688	6–0	9–3	367	324	W5
(5) Indianapolis Colts	10	6	0	.625	4–2	8–4	349	313	W1
Jacksonville Jaguars	6	10	0	.375	1–5	4–8	328	315	L2
Houston Texans	4	12	0	.250	1–5	2–10	213	356	L3

Conference

AFC v t e
#	Team	Division	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	CONF	SOS	SOV
Division leaders
1[a]	Oakland Raiders	West	11	5	0	.688	4–2	9–3	.529	.531
2[a]	Tennessee Titans	South	11	5	0	.688	6–0	9–3	.479	.474
3	Pittsburgh Steelers	North	10	5	1	.656	6–0	8–4	.486	.451
4[b]	New York Jets	East	9	7	0	.563	4–2	6–6	.500	.500
Wild Cards
5	Indianapolis Colts	South	10	6	0	.625	4–2	8–4	.479	.400
6[c]	Cleveland Browns	North	9	7	0	.563	3–3	7–5	.486	.413
Did not qualify for the postseason
7[c][d]	Denver Broncos	West	9	7	0	.563	3–3	5–7	.527	.486
8[b][c][d][e]	New England Patriots	East	9	7	0	.563	4–2	6–6	.525	.455
9[b][e]	Miami Dolphins	East	9	7	0	.563	2–4	7–5	.508	.486
10[f]	Buffalo Bills	East	8	8	0	.500	2–4	5–7	.473	.352
11[f][g]	San Diego Chargers	West	8	8	0	.500	3–3	6–6	.492	.453
12[g]	Kansas City Chiefs	West	8	8	0	.500	2–4	6–6	.527	.516
13	Baltimore Ravens	North	7	9	0	.438	3–3	7–5	.506	.384
14	Jacksonville Jaguars	South	6	10	0	.375	1–5	4–8	.506	.438
15	Houston Texans	South	4	12	0	.250	1–5	2–10	.518	.492
16	Cincinnati Bengals	North	2	14	0	.125	0–6	1–11	.537	.406
Tiebreakers[h]
Oakland finished ahead of Tennessee based on head-to-head victory. N.Y. Jets finished ahead of New England based on win percentage in common games (8–4 to 7–5) and Miami based on division record (4–2 to 2–4). Cleveland finished ahead of Denver and New England based on conference record (7–5 vs 5–7/6–6) Denver finished ahead of New England based on head-to-head victory. New England finished ahead of Miami based on division record (4–2 to 2–4). Buffalo finished ahead of San Diego based on head-to-head victory. San Diego finished ahead of Kansas City based on division record (3–3 to 2–4). When breaking ties for three or more teams under the NFL's rules, they are first broken within divisions, then comparing only the highest ranked remaining team from each division.

Statistics

Despite being in their first season, Football Outsiders calculated that the Texans were, play-for-play, the least successful team in the NFL in 2002.^[15] FO also stated that the 2002 Texans had the worst offense and third-worst run offense they have ever tracked.^[16]

Team

Category	Total yards	Yards per game	NFL rank (out of 32)
Passing offense	2,225	139.1	32nd
Rushing offense	1,347	84.2	31st
Total offense[17]	3,572	223.3	32nd
Passing defense	3,141	196.3	10th
Rushing defense	2,089	130.6	28th
Total defense[18]	5,230	326.9	16th

Individual

Category	Player	Total
Offense
Passing yards	David Carr	2,592
Passing touchdowns	David Carr	9
Rushing yards	Jonathan Wells	529
Rushing touchdowns	Jonathan Wells David Carr	3
Receiving yards	Corey Bradford	697
Receiving touchdowns	Corey Bradford	6
Defense
Tackles (Solo)	Jay Foreman	105
Sacks	Jeff Posey	8
Interceptions	Aaron Glenn	5

Source:^[19]